How to toast quinoa flour to remove the bitter taste. This trick will show you two different ways to toast quinoa flour at home and recipes to try with it!
If you’ve read even just a few of the baked good recipes here on Simply Quinoa, then you know that I love using toasted quinoa flour. Toasted quinoa flour has a wonderful nutty quality to it, which really enhances the flavor of recipes.
There are two main methods for toasting quinoa flour at home and today I'm going to talk through them both. I'm going to show you how to toast quinoa the “traditional” way and then also how to do it the speedy way. Both ways are effective!
Do You Need to Toast Quinoa Flour?
You definitely don't need to toast quinoa flour, but if you find it to have an off-putting flavor then it's something to consider. With the recipes on the site, you can always opt to use untreated quinoa flour, as the texture remains the same, but the taste of the finished dish will vary slightly.
Benefit of Toasting Quinoa Flour
The main reason why I choose to toast my quinoa flour is for taste.
Quinoa flour has a very bold flavor, almost grass-like and a little bitter, that sometimes can overpower a recipe. I have found that with a gentle toast, the flavors balance out and helps make quinoa flour even more versatile.
And the best part? Toasting quinoa flour is really easy!
How to Toast Quinoa Flour (Traditional)
This is my preferred method for toasting quinoa flour because of the consistency in flavor. While it does take a little bit of extra time, it’s worth it. I recommend making a big batch and storing for later use.
How to Toast Quinoa Flour (Traditional Method)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Pour quinoa flour onto a baking sheet, spread to form a thin, uniform layer.
- Bake on the center rack for 1 hour, mixing flour around every 20 minutes to prevent burning. Check after one hour and keep cooking for 20-minute intervals until the quinoa flour is golden brown.
- Cool completely before using or storing.
Video
Nutrition
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How to Toast Quinoa Flour (Quick)
Sometimes you’re craving some pancakes and you just don’t have time to wait to toast your quinoa flour in the oven – I totally get that! For those of us who are short on time, here’s a quick way to toast quinoa flour on the fly. I will say, I don’t find the flavor to be quite as good with this method. It’s still delicious, but the oven method has a softer more balanced flavor.
How to Toast Quinoa Flour (Quick Way)
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa flour
Instructions
- Heat dry skillet over low heat.
- Add quinoa flour and toss until toasted, 5 - 10 minutes.
- As quinoa flour begins to toast, toss around fairly frequently to avoid burning.
- Cool completely before using.
Video
Nutrition
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How to Store Quinoa Flour
Many people believe that quinoa flour should be stored in the fridge or freezer as it tends to go rancid. I haven’t found that to be the case in all my years of cooking with it, but it all depends on the climate that you live in. I like to store my quinoa flour in a cool dry place, usually in a lower cabinet in my kitchen, or a pantry. Lower cabinets tend to be cooler since the heat in your kitchen will rise.
If you are new to cooking with quinoa flour, I recommend trying the storage method above, but make sure to smell the flour before using it to see if it has gone rancid. If you find that your quinoa flour is spoiling in your cabinet, store it in the fridge or freezer. When stored in the fridge or freezer, make sure to allow the flour to come to room temperature before baking with it!
How to Use Quinoa Flour:
Toasted quinoa flour can be used any time that you use quinoa flour, so if you want a full, in-depth look, I have a post all about how to use quinoa flour. That post includes tons of recipes and ideas, but here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- High-Protein Quinoa Bread
- Banana Bread Muffins
- Vegan “Peanut Butter” Quinoa Chocolate Cake
- Banana Quinoa Waffles
- Pumpkin & Spinach Flatbreads with Goat Cheese
Do You Like Quinoa Flour?
I'd love to know your thoughts! It can be a somewhat polarizing ingredient because of the flavor, so I really think you should try toasting it next time you bake!
Hello, I tried toasting my quinoa flour but it still tasted bitter and had a strong smell. Is it normal? I don’t know if this is normal since it is my first time using quinoa flour haha
Hmmm maybe it isn’t quite toasted enough! Quinoa definitely has a bitter flavor to it, but it should mellow out once toasted. Have you tried baking with it? When combined with other things you might not notice the flavor as much 🙂
Hi there,
How long will toasted quinoa flour last in the fridge? Would the flour’s expiry date still apply? Thanks.
A couple of weeks 🙂
I’m making a pumpkin bread recipe I love and want to substitute quinoa flour for wheat flour. Do I use the same amount?
You could try, but I think you’ll have to adjust slightly! I would just go with how the batter feels. Typically GF batters are a bit lighter, so keep that in mind as well!
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I was looking at the traditional method for toasting and the recipe card shows 2hrs cook time but the step-by-step instructions indicate 1hr total cook time. I assume it’s one hour but will you confirm, please?
Just updated! Thanks 🙂
I am confused. I was searching for a method to make quinoa flour from quinoa. I now see “toasting quinoa flour”. How do I merely make the quinoa into quinoa flour so I can use it for your recipes? Also, can quinoa flakes be made into quinoa flour per food processor? I love this web site but I am new to quinoa 🙂
Hi there! You can grind quinoa into a flour, but it won’t be the same as the flour you buy at the store so I’m not sure it can be substituted 1:1 in the recipes. Since the flour you make at home (in your blender for example) won’t be as fine as the flour that is ground in a flour grinder, the texture is a little off. I like to use ground quinoa flour to make a porridge actually!
I’ve been trying to find a hack for the quinoa bitterness for a while, so I’m really glad i found your blog. What’s hilarious is i was indeed looking for a quick fix as I was craving pancakes todAY so imagine my excitement when I read your blog. Thank you for the hack <3 Will let you know how it turns out. Best,
YAY! So glad it’s been helpful 🙂
HI! You can use the “flour” you make by toasting the quinoa and blending it into powder, like you do for your classic hot breakfast porridge/cereal right? I found that recipe years ago and have used it many days ever since, back when you went by the “queen of quinoa!” Thank you for that and for sharing your wealth of health knowledge.
Yep!! But I do find that the flour is not quite as fine or good for baking!
Hi,
I am dairy, gluten, and soy free! i try to eliminate as much sugar as possible.My biggest problem is a flour substitute. I don’t love coconut flour. Do you have a one to one substitution that has quinoa flour? I have been surprised that I haven’t found one. Any thoughts are very appreciated!
Thanks
What are you looking for exactly? A recipe or a flour blend? Let me know and I’ll try to point you in the right direction 🙂 xo
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